The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant that will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘PENPUR’. ‘PENPUR’ was discovered by the inventor in 2000 at the inventor's nursery in Netherwent, Wales, United Kingdom.
In the summer of 2000, the inventor observed that a single plant of the inventor's blue flowered Nemesia variety named ‘PENSKY’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,902) was bearing a naturally occurring branch sport which carried pure white flowers. The inventor had previously observed white flowered Nemesias in his breeding program, and was also aware of white flowered Nemesia varieties in commerce. However all of these white flowered varieties known or observed by the inventor shared the common characteristic of a distinct yellow palate at the base of the lower petals. Such a yellow palate to generally present in Nemesias and appears as a raised area on each of the pair of lower petal lips, giving the appearance of a yellow throat.
The inventor was able to take several cuttings from the branch sport of ‘PENSKY’ and to observe each of the resulting plants as they came into flower. Each of the plants bore an identical pure white flower with no apparent yellow palate. The inventor determined that he had developed a new and distinct variety of Nemesia, named ‘PENPUR’ which remained true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The inventor has observed that if the upper and lower petals are prized apart then a small yellow palate is visible on the lower petal surfaces. However, when the petals are returned to their natural aspect, no yellow palate is visible to the observer.
When compared with the sport parent Nemesia ‘PENSKY’, ‘PENPUR’ differs only in respect of the color of its flowers and flower parts. In overall appearance, ‘PENPUR’ exhibits pure white flowers whereas ‘PENSKY’ exhibits soft pale lavender blue flowers.
The closest variety of white flowered Nemesia known to the inventor is Nemesia plant named ‘Tiktoc’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,977) sold as Nemesia ‘Compact Innocence’, which exhibits a prominent yellow palate on its lower petals.
‘PENPUR’ was first asexually propagated by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Netherwent, Wales, United Kingdom in 2000 using internodal cuttings. ‘PENPUR’ has subsequently be asexually propagated, using tip and branch cuttings, and has been determined to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.